If you suspect that your personal information has been misused to commit fraud or theft, act immediately, and keep a detailed record of your conversations and correspondence. Your first three steps should be:

FIRST, contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus:

Our society generates an enormous amount of data. Most users of that information are honest, legitimate businesses. But no one, including students, is immune from being a potential victim of identity theft. The financial and emotional consequences of this crime are long term and long lasting. The information provided in this document gives you a number of steps for safeguarding your personal data, and there are many other resources available on the Internet.

Following are a series of forms that will be useful if, despite your efforts, you become a victim of identity theft.